


Gray Lining

by Lacila



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, F/F, F/M, I'll add ships along the way; the first one is the main one, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-27
Updated: 2015-10-27
Packaged: 2018-04-28 12:37:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5091011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lacila/pseuds/Lacila
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which John gets involved with the wrong crowd—but he's not! Not really! Everyone thinks John Egbert has a completely normal, boring, and pastry-filled life. </p><p>That is until Vriska Serket shows up with an offer. Then, everything John Egbert does and knows is a complete mystery. And his friends are determined to find out what's really happening. </p><p>But honestly, it'll just make everything more dangerous for everyone. (DISCONTINUED)</p><p>Especially his friends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gray Lining

**Author's Note:**

> OH no. So maybe I abandoned my old fanfic and jumped for a new one??? Hahaha, don't expect me to update this often...I have around 7-ish pages written so far...but that doesn't mean I'll update that often. I once wrote an FMA fanfic that I promised to update every week. Didn't turn out so good.
> 
> Anyways, I was always a person who really loved the idea of John needing to keep secrets because honestly he'd never keep them for long. So I thought, hmm, who would force him to keep secrets? Ah, yes! OH, and Brotherly Jake English because that stuff lightens up my soul. Sorry for keeping you here so long, read the fanfic!
> 
> Uhm, the first chapter is more like character tests and world building??? Ah, and exploring the relationships between each of the friends. It was actually weird to write. Honestly, I might drop this fanfic too (despite the 7 pages already written and that the plot is mostly written out) because I have school, and enter in the other generic excuses (but still valid...ish. Writer's block is hard.)

John Egbert wakes up to the jarring sound of his alarm clock, moaning into his pillow. Disheveled hair, wrinkled clothes, and sore bones, John Egbert isn't in the best mood today. Yesterday's events were tiring, and if he were to be honest, annoying. If he wasn't already in the track team and didn't lift weights, John was sure he'd be dead at this point. Speaking of yesterday's events, John thinks about how he's come this far into the school year. Almost always doing this crazy stuff with Vriska Serket and her oddball team of other students. Vriska Serket, the rambunctious rebel. The rumored killer at John's high school. Who would've thought someone like John Egbert, a normal kid (well, as normal as he could get) in high school, would be involved with almost everything to do with this rebel? John wondered what other people would think about the fact he's affiliated with the seemingly dangerous people in the school. Oh, but let's not forget Vriska's other teammates in crime. People like Terezi Pyrope, Nepeta Leijon, but not anymore because of Equius Zahhak, Aradia Megido, and some others are a part of this team, John included. At the high school, no one knows about the existence of this team other than, obviously, the team itself. The alarm next to his bed rings loudly again, snapping John out of his thoughts. Slamming the top of his alarm clock on his white nightstand, he groans loudly and mumbled into his pillow.

“Ughhh...I dun wanna wake up...” John grumbles, and slowly picks himself off his very comfy and warm bed. “Oh, bed, how I'll miss you....” He sighs with a lingering touch, and starts to change into less wrinkled and much more stylish clothes. Donning a black shirt with a green slime on it, and dark blue khaki's, he throws on a dark green jacket to top it all off. John looks at himself in the mirror, and nods at the outfit, before frowning deeply at the sight of his hair. Why does it always look so messed up?! Locks of hair and stray strands randomly stick up in all directions. He could only tame his hair to a certain extent before giving up. After fiddling with it for 20 minutes, he sighs. The world could be so cruel sometimes. Remembering he had school, he swiped at his glasses next to his nightstand and puts them on with a tired expression on his face. This is going to be one long day. But what happens next is the hardest part of the day. Breakfast. Peeking from the stairs, John sneaks a peek of what looks like a very hefty serving of pancakes. He mentally curses at the sight. Glancing at his watch, John notices with great alarm that it's 7:10am. He still needs to walk to his bus stop, and that takes roughly 10 minutes. And the bus arrives at 7:15. Shit. Hastily gathering his backpack and phone, John wonders if he should try to eat something else. Forgetting about the foul taste of added sugar and other additions to the pancakes, John nabs a pancake and begins to run like a mad man to his bus stop. Munching hungrily on the food in his hand, John focuses mostly on the watch wrapped tightly around his wrist, and hoping he'll get there on time. He most likely will, since he is on the track team. He's not the best for nothing! Dying and running at the brink of sunlight is something normal for the track team, anyways. 7:13, eaten pancake in his hand, and only 2 minutes left on the clock. Turning a corner, John sees the bus stop only a few feet away. Deciding to have a little fun, John sprints the last few feet, pretending he's finished a long meter dash and crossing the finish line. He throws his arms in the air, and stops running, smack dab in the middle of his bus stop. And the crowd goes wild! But John, not so much. His sore muscles from yesterday decide to remind John of their presence with a bit of pain. He looks around, seeing if anyone saw his little dash to the finish line. Weirdly enough, no one else is at his bus stop. Usually, one other person than him is there. Calijorn? Californa? Calib... or something like that. A guy who's basically a pain in the ass and always pissed. While John's occupied with his thoughts, the bus comes rolling along, down the road, and stops right in front of John with a groan. The day is just about to begin. He makes his way onto the seats near the front of the bus. Thankfully, everyone else usually packs into the back seats, so there would be space near John for people he's actually friends with. Speaking of friends, a blonde haired teen wearing dark sunglasses gets up onto the bus. Oh yes, Dave. Ironically cool kid that somehow knows how to use a sword. He also has a weird brother.... that apparently is obsessed with puppets? John isn't all that excited to find out if that's true or not.

“Sup.” Dave sits next to John and gives a little nod, along with his short greeting. Stoic expression on his face, just like usual.

John rolls his eyes, a flashes a small smile. “Hey Dave! I'm kinda exhausted, so I might be out off it today. My back seriously hurts, and my legs are so sore, you don't even know!”

“Oh? Sore legs? Got busy with someone last night? Man, Egbert, I had no idea you had that in you.” The blonde smirks with playfulness laced in his smile. The bus stops as some more kids pile into it, all of which look just as tired as you. Sadly, that's just what high school is like. Being a zombie every day in the morning before school. In school. After school.

“Oh yeah Dave, I totally did that yesterday.” John responds with a tone practically dripping with sarcasm, and rolls his eyes. “I didn't know that the Dave Strider, cool kid, actually cares about his friends' sex life.”

“Sex life? John, you dog, how could you say something so vulgar? I was simply implying that you worked hard on homework!” Dave fakes a gasp, and turns away, a hand strewn across his forehead. He then sighs dramatically, looking forlorn at the window. “How could I live with such a insensitive man?”

“Wow Dave, really? I'd never live with you!” The black haired teen sticks out his tongue, and then the bus stops again as some more kids climb onto the bus. Someone you know sits on one of the empty seats next to a window. It's Rose Lalonde, a sarcastic yet analytic girl who sounds like she knows so much more than anyone else in the entire school. Note: Terrifying.

“Hello, John, David. Anything of interest happen lately? You both know I'm free to any therapy sessions at any time.” She gives a tiny smile and holds onto a green book in her hand. Isn't that the weird series Rose likes so much...called...Complancity of the Learnt? He just shakes his head, deciding to forget about it, and answers Rose while glaring at Dave.

“In fact, I do need a therapy session. Being friends with him makes you feel that way.” Rose laughs lightly, and then turns to Dave, disappointment written all over her face.

“David, what did you do to this poor child that he believes he is in need of a therapy session?” She shakes her head solemnly. “Such a shame my cousin is such a terrifying man. Who can control his ironic terrors?” After saying that, Rose has a small smirk on her face, mischief in her eyes. The three of them begin to banter some more about 'how John is being a sissy' and 'your tentacle ass has no say here' as John's fourth friend hops onto the bus.

“Hey guys! What're you all talking about?” Jade sits next to Rose, looking happy as ever. It's like the morning does nothing to affect her mood! No one knows how she stays peppy for so long...but then again, there are stories about how angry she can get. A Jade with guns is a Jade you run from. Rose is the first to answer her question.

“I've come to a conclusion that David here has a lot of psychological problems, and is in need of intense treatment. The victims of his irony, like John, have finally reached out to me about his unforgivable actions.” The blonde girl then looks at John and sighs. “I know it must have been hard to speak out, but I'm glad you did.”

“Oh come on Rose, I'm sure you're just overreacting. It's not like Dave can do any serious damage.” Jade nods her head, smile in her voice, and takes a glance at the blonde boy. “Just look at him!”

“Yeah, what she says! I'm just as harmless as a butterfly. In fact, I'm pretty fly and I'm smooth like butter. See? Innocent.” Folding his arms, he smirks. Catching Jade's drift, Dave just goes along with it. After a while, the four finally arrive at the school. Walking out of the bus, the school day finally begins. John can't wait to talk to Jake about yesterday's events. As fun as talking to his friends is, Jake and the rest of the team are still pretty interesting to talk to. Sure, John isn't exactly friends with all of them, but it's nice to let out all the secrets to someone you can actually tell. Thankfully, John has his first two periods with Jake. Jake English to be exact. An adventurous boy who has had practice with guns and is famed around the school for his strength. That's why he's on the team in the first place! Well, it's not like everyone in the team wanted to be in it, but that's besides the point. John was some sort of exception in the team. Usually, it's comprised of the older kids, Jane, Dirk, Roxy, and then those people which Vriska is friends with. Vriska said John reminded her of someone she used to know, and let him into the team. He still wonders why on earth she hasn't taken in any of his friends. Vriska says because even though they are skilled, she already has their siblings and that she doesn't want too many people to know. John doesn't really believe that.

John wanders into homeroom, the algebra classroom. Oh, how he hates algebra. He sulks on the thought of doing poorly on last night's homework, until he sees Jake waving his hand with a relaxed smile on his face. John sits next to him, and Jake is already talking.

“Oh boy howdy, how nice is it to see you again! How are your legs? I know you had a rough night yesterday!” He laughs heartily, but John knows he's feeling the same way. Running for so long would make anyone this sore.

John frowns a little bit. “It still pretty hurts, you know? That trip really, really hurt.” Looking back on yesterday's events, he rubs his knees before turning his attention back at his friend.

“Well old chap, I know you'll tough it out. You've done it before! And besides, don't you feel great about the service you've done for the city? Like real superheros, huh?” Jake offers a sympathy smile. He's always been this nice, which John is kind of grateful for. Not everybody thinks what John does is heroic or helpful. Some people would probably tell him to piss off. But John just couldn't leave the situation alone; nobody else would believe them! Or at the very least, Vriska just wants to be the crowning savior. Instead of pondering what's truly right or wrong, John decides to answer Jake's question with a modest smile.

“Yeah. Like superheros.”


End file.
